Remember Me?
by I'mtheson
Summary: Alanna Gilbert is the oldest of her siblings. As she re-enters her siblings' lives, she has no choice but to get tangled up with the supernatural and along the way, she realises that Mystic Falls is indeed mystical after all. Vampires, witches, werewolves, past lives, oh my! There is always more than meets the eye. Klaus/OC
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! So this idea has been playing in my mind for ages! I finally mustered up enough courage to post it. I hope you like it. This starts after 1x07- Haunted. R&R! Cheers.**

**PROLOGUE**

Flashes of the car driving off the Wickery Bridge ran through her mind. She vividly remembers teasing her sister about boy issues, and her sister retaliating by snapping at her. But then, her whole world shattered when her mother turned back to reprimand them. It was too late for anything to be done when she noticed the truck barreling towards them and warned her father.

She remembers her reflex action; instead of shying and curling in her corner, which was the furthest from the truck, she grabbed her sister's arm and flung her towards her side, shielding Elena with her own body. She recalled her sister's shocked and frightened expression as Elena held her arm in a death grip.

She closed her eyes when she heard the window shatter, but she knew that she had to do this, it was her job as the oldest sibling to protect her siblings. So she absorbed the brunt of the attack. She felt indescribable pain, but no sound escaped her. All that she could do was fade into darkness.

She was oblivious to the events that had occurred after that, and her mind went into frenzy. What if they crashed into the water? Are the others okay? She had to get her parents and sister out. They may not be conscious, they could be fading fast. She battled her heavy eyelids, tried to raise her leaden arms, anything to get her limbs in action, but to no avail. And when she opened her mouth to inquire if her family was still conscious, she choked.

Something was in her throat, she could not speak. Her eyes watered as she managed to twitch her fingers. She heard shouting before she was lost again.

The next time she was aware of her surroundings, she could feel a soft hand gently stroking her hair, whispering words of comfort. Words like 'Jeremy', 'Elena', 'home' and 'worried' registered in her mind and her lips twitched as she managed to place the voice. She knew she could always count on her Aunt Jenna to be there for her.

Does that mean that they were all rescued in time? That they were all safe? She could tell her Aunt was seated on her left from where her voice was coming from. Her right hand was held in a tight grip and she knew that her Aunt was not the only one present. If the rest of her family were recovering too, that must mean that the person holding her hand was Jeremy.

With a lot of coaxing and patience, a pair of closed eyes snapped open to reveal a stunning hue of forest green.

Alanna Gilbert was awake.


	2. 162 Candles

**Hey guys! Thanks for the review and the alerts. Here is the next chapter, R&R and tell me what you think! Reviews or messages, anything is fine. Have fun!**

Alanna had never liked being told what to do. It was blatantly obvious that she was too stubborn for her own good. Even when the doctor had begged her to stay in the hospital, she was adamant about going home. And when he relented and ordered strict bed rest at her home, she gave him a knowing smile that had Jeremy shaking his head as he watched the exchange.

She had been filled in on everything that had happened; Stefan Salvatore, Vicki and her parents. Her Aunt almost revealed Jeremy's drug addiction, but with one look at her niece, who was struggling to deal, she kept quiet. There would be time for that later, she told herself.

Presently, Alanna was in the car, trying not to fidget too much so as to lessen her discomfort. Instead, her eyes were closed as she leaned back, blanketing herself in the memories of her late parents. She could not believe that they would no longer be at home- she would give an arm and leg to hear her mother's sweet voice and see the ever present pride in her father's eyes.

She had always been daddy's little girl growing up. Elena was closer to her mom as she shared the same passion of partying and having fun as Miranda did. However, Grayson was her hero. He had always pushed her to her limits, like he did with Jeremy. They spent many warm weekends playing baseball or simply watching movies while Elena shopped with their mother.

That didn't mean that she loved her mother any less. Her mother was her cooking partner, as well as the fashion police for her. She even knew that she would miss the ridiculous arguments she had with her mother- these arguments were the one of the sources of her family's daily entertainment, but now…

She felt a gentle squeeze on her shoulder and blinked away the tears that prickled her eyes. She gave Jeremy a warm smile to put his worries to ease, and he extended his hand to help her out. It was then and there she noticed that the car had stopped and Jeremy was waiting outside the opened car door with his hand outstretched- she was home.

**~REMEMBER ME?~**

Despite the threat of being handcuffed to the bedpost by her Aunt Jenna, Alanna paced about the house. She was never one to sit idle without anyone in the house. While it was true that she was not outspoken, she loved having company. People have always amused her, even when she was a child. Aunt Jenna and Jeremy had to make a quick visit to the police station and trusted her to be sensible enough to stay put and rest, but she was itching to meet everyone. Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, hell even Tyler! It was true that she was two years older than Elena, but she had always considered Elena's childhood friends family. She was contemplating her options, when without warning, Elena barged into her room, shock evident on her face as tears gathered in her doe-like eyes.

She wasn't sure who made the first move, but in less than a second, her arms were around Elena and she released a breath she never knew she was holding. Her heart lightened considerably as she pressed a soft kiss on her younger sister's forehead. They were too caught up in the moment that they never noticed their aunt and brother at the doorway, with small smiles on their faces.

**~REMEMBER ME?~**

Damn! Her aunt wasn't kidding about handcuffing her to the bedpost. Not a minute after hugging Elena, she was dragged into Elena's room and cuffed.

"Where did you even get these?" Alanna inquired, a knowing grin on her face. Jenna stared at her, swatting her arm before leaving. Alanna sighed, maneuvering herself so that she was buried under the thick duvet, with her right arm still chained to the bedpost. She heard the conversation between her Aunt, Elena and Jeremy and sighed. If she were not trapped in the room, she would've been giving Jeremy a 20 minute crash course for his quiz, like she normally does. Her late parents occasionally disapproved, telling her that she was spoon-feeding him, but she thought otherwise. If Jeremy was interested in the grades, why not make it slightly easier for him? He would have the knowledge, and he'll have an easier time retaining it. Besides, why have knowledge, if not to pass it down? Elena had always declined her help, and Jeremy always understood her weird logic, so why not let him reap some benefits? It was honestly a win-win situation. She loved teaching, he loved listening.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt the bed dip, a figure slipping under the duvet too and a hand slipping over her waist, resting there. She knew it was probably Elena assuring herself that she was fine, and that Elena needed it, so she stayed put, until the door opened again.

"You up?" A very familiar voice said. Alanna smiled, recognizing the Bennett's voice instantly. Alanna felt the duvet being lifted off from Elena, and by extension, herself, despite Elena's resistance.

"Boo," she said, catching Bonnie off guard and wincing when she let out a high-pitched squeal, crushing her in a tight hug.

"You're back!" Bonnie yelled and she nodded, her eyes full of mirth. She then turned to Elena, confused. "I'm officially worried. What's going on? I thought you'll be ecstatic with Lana back."

Elena sighed, "I'm tired of thinking ... Of talking I-"

Bonnie placed a hand on Alanna's shoulder. "And why are you still in the house? I thought you'd be jumping about by now. Can I get the one-line versions from both of you so I can at least pretend to be helpful?"

"Stefan and I broke up."

"Jenna cuffed me to the bed."

They both spoke at the same time, but Bonnie seemed to hear them both as she looked at Elena with sympathy. "I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" She questioned before answering it herself. "Right, stupid question. I know I've been kind of MIA when you needed me the most. I suck." She said before turning to Alanna. "And that's one smart way to ensure that you stay put." She told Alanna, a grin on her face.

"Help me get my mind off it Bonnie," Elena pleaded and Alanna nodded in agreement with Elena, her eyes drawn to the necklace that Bonnie was wearing. She felt a shudder pass through her, and the longer she stared at it, the more uneasy she felt. It was like the necklace was emitting some sort of weird… vibe.

"Unless you got a pin and I can try my skills at lock-picking?" Alanna mentally shook her head from the strange trance and tried to focus on the conversation.

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief at the older Gilbert before she went quiet. She seemed to have decided on something as she stared at the Gilberts. "Just remember you asked for it."

With that, she closed the window and grabbed the pillow Alanna was cuddling with her only 'free' hand, ignoring her soft protest of 'hey!'. She ripped it and emptied it of the feathers much to Alanna's chagrin.

"I need you both to swear to secrecy." Bonnie said and Alanna sat up, giving her a solemn nod while Elena hesitated, before giving her word too. After assuring the girls that there were no other external factors, a feather levitates in front of Elena. Several more followed and it becomes obvious that Bonnie was controlling them. The two sisters watched in shock and amazement and they both immediately believed Bonnie who told them that she, indeed, was a witch.

"So do you think you may be able to free me?" Alanna cut in, interrupting the quiet moment, and the other girls chuckled.

"Why did you tell us this?" Elena asked as Alanna rubbed her now free wrist unconsciously, with a small smile on her face.

"You're my best friend Elena," she explained. "I can't hide anything from you. And Alanna is not only your older sister, she's mine too." Bonnie said, squeezing the older Gilbert's hand before engulfing her in a hug again, missing the guilty looks on both of their faces.

**~REMEMBER ME?~**

"I do not understand. Didn't Elena say that they broke up?" Alanna asked Bonnie as her sister left the house in haste, wanting to visit her (ex?) boyfriend.

"You know how Elena is, like she'll ever give up a good relationship." Bonnie grinned. "Now, Caroline's throwing a party, and you must be losing your mind being stuck here, so you're accompanying me."

"Bonnie, you know how I feel about parties. I'd much rather take a walk around town on my own." She declined Bonnie's offer politely, keeping her mind on the list of places she had to visit to avoid thinking of the necklace.

"No can do," Bonnie refused. "Not if you want to leave the house unnoticed." She threatened.

Alanna sighed, grabbing her clothes and heading to the toilet stealthily. She knew she had lost the battle. She changed in record speed and grabbed her favourite haversack, placing her copy of 'Great Expectations', her barely utilized phone that still worked after the accident, and her wallet in it. She slung it over her shoulders, looking at Bonnie expectantly and Bonnie merely gave her an innocent look. Ah well, desperate times, desperate measures.

This is going to be a long night, she thought.

**~REMEMBER ME?~**

She hid her grimace at the booming music of the Grill. They were normally more subtle, and played more 'diner-friendly' music. She was about to wander off to a quieter area, one where she could enjoy her book, but Bonnie grabbed her arm, giving her a knowing glance, before dragging her towards the bar, where they were rudely intercepted by Caroline.

Caroline stared at Alanna in shock before she gave her a hug, and then her attention diverted straight to Bonnie, much to Bonnie's shock. "Bonnie I've been looking for you. I'm totally sorry to do this I know it's so Indian giver and I know we're not even supposed to say that anymore but I need my crystal back." Caroline said, straight to the point.

Alanna listened intently as Bonnie and Caroline argued about the strange necklace that baffled even _her_. There was something strange going on with Caroline; she lacked the usual twinkle in her eyes, and she was being unreasonably shallow. While Caroline was the stereotypical mean girl cheerleader, she always had an unexpected depth in her character that was hidden beneath her insecurities, and she was never this snappy, especially to her two best friends. She was further appalled when Caroline reached out to snatch the necklace off Bonnie's neck.

However, she froze when Caroline retracted her hand, like she got shocked. There's something very wrong with that necklace, she thought, and she gave Bonnie a pat on her shoulder before she walked towards the bar. She needed some time on her own to contemplate this, to figure it out, especially since Bonnie is a witch. There was a wide array of possibilities that had just opened up with that particular fact alone. And anyway, who was this Damon Salvatore? Could she assume that he was Stefan's brother? Why did he cause this rift between her friends? Why did he want the necklace?

She was so engrossed in her drink that she never noticed a pair of icy blue eyes on her, and before she knew it, a man had joined her.

"A drink for the lady, on me," she heard a deep voice say and she turned to face him. He was quite attractive, with eyes that could freeze your insides cold, and hair as black as night, and now it seems like she's describing snow white, but it was all true. But she felt no sort of romantic attraction to him at all. She deduced that she's officially insane, for _anyone_ would fall for someone who looks like… like _that. _But there was this unexpected warmth that filled her; rather ironic with those icy orbs staring at her.

"Damon Salvatore," he introduced and she raised an eyebrow. So this is the infamous Damon Salvatore. Well he did have the bad boy look down to a T. She gave him a nod before she sipped the orange juice she ordered, ignoring his drink altogether. She had never been one to socialize with strangers, and she wasn't going to start now.

She failed to notice his amused smirk, and thanked the heavens when he stood up. Instead of simply leaving, or being an ass about it, he whispered a 'be right back' and stalked off. She paid for the orange juice and took the chance to escape the party since Bonnie was nowhere in sight. She should take off before her sister appeared and spilled the beans to Aunt Jenna. Furthermore, she should disappear before Damon Salvatore came back.

She hastened out of the door, but she missed the dumbfounded look on Stefan Salvatore's face as she passed by him and Lexi on the way out.

**~REMEMBER ME~**

It was a solid half hour before she climbed up the stairs, and thanked her lucky stars when she noticed that her aunt and brother were nowhere in sight. She had to run all the way back after a quick detour to the Mystic Falls town square, where she leant against the nearest tree she saw and stared up at the night sky briefly wondering if her parents were looking down at all of them, laughing when she sneaked off, crying when they saw them mourn. It took a while before she composed herself and found the strength to return to her home, and before she knew it, thirty full minutes had passed.

She grabbed her stomach, gasping for breath as she reached her room or more like Elena's room since she had not occupied it for a while. She probably was not as fit as she was. A few months in comatose tend to do that to people.

That was when she found something suspicious. Something she realized once all the excitement and adrenaline had passed. She slowly walked to the nearest mirror, gradually lifting her top to expose her stomach. Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened.

Her skin was unblemished, there were no sign of her ever having broken ribs, there were no bruises at all. Bluish-black bruises that she knew were very obvious in the morning were all gone. She examined her arms and legs, and she was befuddled. There were no traces that she had been in a near fatal accident. How was this even possible? She stared at her reflection, a worried frown on her face.

What she didn't know was that there was someone else with that same expression on his face. He was frowning at the portrait in his hand; one that was ancient enough for its page to be yellowed and yet, so treasured that there was not a crumple in sight. The page was well preserved, well protected, and was that of a lady. She had bright, twinkling eyes and a wide, innocent smile. She was clothed in a simple dress, nothing too fancy. Yet it was the simplicity that highlighted her subtle beauty, and it was what made her the lady he knew.

Scrawled at the bottom right hand of the page was _'Alanna Salvatore-1863'_.


	3. History Repeating

**What's up? Thanks for the support, you're all awesome. So currently, the story will follow the show for a while. I'm not so sure about the future. Please drop in your suggestion and ideas! I'm eager to hear from all of you. Read and review! **

_History Repeating_

Alanna was at home, staring at the ceiling and pondering about the complexity of it all. Apparently she wasn't as sneaky as she thought and Jenna had made sure to keep Alanna under watchful eyes at all times. Now, after many days of sitting around and reading, she was restless from being cooped up for so long. She tried to make the most of it by helping Jeremy to catch up with his school work, as well as listen to Elena go on about Stefan and how he had not contacted her.

Don't get her wrong, she did love her siblings and all but it was time that she got out of the house for a while. Besides, two weeks had passed and no one could tell that she ever had any injuries to begin with.

She was two years older than Elena, and she had already graduated from high school. Before the accident, she sent out applications to various universities, rather far away from Mystic Falls, and now she didn't even bother to check her email for the results. She had lost all dreams of leaving the tragic little town, especially after she heard about her siblings spiraling from her aunt. An idea came to her as she pondered on how to keep herself occupied. She almost smacked her head at the simple answer that wriggled into her mind.

She stumbled out of bed and grabbed her jacket before heading downstairs.

"And where do you think you're going?" Jenna asked, her face hidden from you by the thick stacks of papers and books in front of her. Jenna was trying to work from home to ensure that Alanna stayed put and didn't wander off, again.

"Getting a job," she answered shortly. Jenna stared at her, wondering what on Earth goes through her niece's head. Alanna had the weirdest and most unpredictable thoughts. Ten minutes ago, she declared that she was going to spend her time enjoying a book and avoiding human contact.

Jenna was also torn between stopping her and allowing her to head out. She knew that Alanna was capable of handling herself, and that she could not keep her in the house forever, but she just got her niece back, and she wasn't sure how Alanna was taking her taking the news of her parents' deaths. She never cried or had any outbursts; she was just… just _Alanna. _

"Wait," Jenna called out before she stopped herself. "Take the car." She said, tossing Alanna her keys.

Alanna flashed her aunt a sweet smile before catching the keys with ease, and she walked out.

**~REMEMBER ME?~**

Alanna sighed as she checked the time, again. Elena was catching a ride with Bonnie, so she had been waiting for her baby brother, alone, for the past twenty minutes, but there was still no sign of him. She knew that she only told him that she would pick him up last minute, but he did reply to her message with an 'okay'.

Unlike many of the teenagers that she knew, Alanna actually loved spending time with her younger brother. She found that he was pretty wise and sensible when he isn't bottling up his emotions and taking drugs to deal with things. She also enjoyed hearing his mindless chatter, for he had a very unique view of the world. She shook her head as she recalled the fond memories of them picking on Elena and teasing her together. She remembered when they threatened Matt, just for the fun of it, when he was going out with Elena, and even the numerous mindless gaming sessions they had with each other.

She got along very well with Elena too, but Elena differed greatly from her, so she did relate to Jeremy on a deeper level, as compared to Elena.

She was debating to ditch the car and hunt him down when a familiar dark skinned girl walked past the car and turned right, disappearing from her direct view. She killed the engine immediately and stepped out of the car, trailing after her. To her shock, she found Bonnie engaged in a conversation with… _creepy blue eyes._ And from her face, it was very obvious that the witch was freaking out.

"Bon!" She yelled before she could stop herself, jogging to her friend. Bonnie faced her, her eyes widening comically as she tried to motion to Alanna to leave. She didn't want Damon anywhere near her, but Alanna ignored her as she stood beside the younger girl. She looked at Damon straight in the eye without any hint of fear on her face. "Is there a problem?"

"Oh nothing," Damon said, with a, _dare I say,_ close to affectionate smile on his face.

"Is this about the necklace?" She asked Bonnie and Damon stared at her. Still a smart little thing isn't she, he thought. She stared at Bonnie, who did not bother answering, and pursed her lips together in thought. To Bonnie's surprise, Alanna reached out and unclasped the necklace from Bonnie's neck, and the necklace put up no resistance whatsoever. Damon's smile fell and he stared at her in annoyance, especially when she clasped it around herself and gave Bonnie a small smile. She'd much rather Bonnie out of harm's way, and she would give it back to her once Damon's gone. Besides, a part of her actually believed, for some strange reason, that Damon would not actually harm her, given his precious interaction with her; at least not as badly as he would hurt Bonnie.

With that in mind, she opened Bonnie's car door and motioned for her to get in, all with Damon watching.

"Alanna-" Bonnie started off, but was silenced when she was shot a glare. Now Alanna wasn't one to show negative emotions often, she was always found with a small smile on her face. The glare was a scary sight on the sweet girl, and Bonnie found herself relenting. She entered the car, and Alanna turned around, feeling accomplished, as she walked past Damon.

"So, Alanna," Damon started, his voice surprisingly soft. "I need that necklace." Despite the soft tone of his voice, she could tell that he wasn't actually giving her a choice.

"No." She stated after a moment of deliberation, not really anticipating the danger she's putting herself in.

Damon grabbed her arm, halting her movement, before he grasped her face with his hand, staring straight into her eyes. She saw his pupil dilate and squirmed, panic turning her blood cold. What the hell was he?

"I need that necklace, and you're gonna give it to me," he stated, like he was confident that she would have no qualms about it.

Her heart raced as she contemplated his request. Was the necklace worth Bonnie and her safety? What's the worst that could happen if he got the necklace? But then, Bonnie was a witch, and she was skeptical about trusting Damon, so it would be wise for her to not take him lightly. The only thing that ran through her mind was getting him far away from her, so with all her might, she pushed him back. Not suspecting the sudden movement, she was at an advantage.

"Get your eyes checked," She blurted and she sprinted to her car and turned on her engine, ready to drive off if threatened. To her relief, Damon Salvatore had vanished. She felt her neck, to reassure that he did not steal it and rush off, and instead of feeling the abnormally large pendant, she felt the fabric of her shirt. The necklace was gone!

**REMEMBER ME?~**

There was a huge smile on the lean brunette's face as she observed her aunt gazing at Jeremy's teacher. The three of them were dining together, at the grill, after roaming around Mystic Falls. When Bonnie confirmed that the necklace was miraculously with her and Jeremy safely in the car, she was finally at ease. Of course she was slightly freaked out with the disappearing act of the magical necklace, but with Jeremy's unorthodox suggestions and her own curiosity in the matter, she thought of it no more and landed herself a job that she was rather proud of, two hours ago.

"I like a man who can dine alone. A quiet strength." Her aunt explained randomly, without any shame or embarrassment and Jeremy's inquiring stare.

Jeremy stared at her like she had two heads. "I thought you were still in that whole Logan-depression thing."

"I've sworn off men forever, but it doesn't mean I can't observe them from a safe distance." Jenna retorted and Alanna rolled her eyes.

"Don't try and understand Jenna, she doesn't make sense," Alanna answered with a matter-of-fact voice. The siblings chortled at Jenna's mortified expression.

Jeremy smiled slyly. "Well, I can introduce you."

"That won't be necessary," Alanna teased. "She's just looking." She avoided a playful swat from Jenna.

The trio continued on with light-hearted conversations before their attention turned to Alanna.

"So did you manage to get a job?" Jenna asked curiously and Alanna leaned forward, her eyes shining.

"Old man Gibbs gave me a job. I'm officially one of the three workers in the less famous antique shop of Mystic Falls," She smiled. "The last one got fired for swindling money a few months ago and no one else applied for it. Mister Gibbs can now enjoy his retirement, as he says."

Jenna raised an eyebrow, despite being happy for her niece. "Pray tell, how did you even know he needed an employee?" She asked curiously.

"Well Jer here-" She started, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "-Is quite the gossipmonger!" The aunt and niece laughed at Jeremy's affronted look.

"Speaking of Jeremy, have you picked the topic?" Jenna inquired, remembering the paper he had to submit.

Jeremy shook his head. "No. Not yet. It's gotta be local and non-internet RESEARCH, so..."

"No Wikipedia," Alanna chimed in.

"But that's easy! You've got all of your dad's stuff."

Jeremy looked confused as he frowned. "What stuff?" He asked, he could not remember his dad ever showing him the 'stuff' that his aunt was referring to.

"'How the Gilberts came over on the Mayflower'. Basically our family lineage from way back. Dad really loved our family history. It's all boxed up in the closet." His sister explained.

"Nerd," Jeremy coughed.

"I'll help you." She continued, acting like he hadn't spoken. Jeremy sent her a small, grateful smile which she returned. However, she furrowed her brows when she realised that Jenna was being abnormally quiet. She then found out why. Her aunt's attention was diverted to the man she was checking out, mere minutes ago.

"Mister Saltzman," Jeremy beamed. The man gave off a friendly vibe, and when he displayed a genuine smile, Alanna automatically concluded that he was way much better than the previous history teacher.

"Jeremy. What's up, man?" He replied enthusiastically with a handshake, but his attention was on the strawberry blonde near them.

Jeremy noticed this and motioned at her. "This is my aunt, Jenna.-" He introduced. "-And this is my sister Alanna."

Alaric shook both their hands, introducing himself in return. "Jeremy was just telling me about his paper. Thanks for giving him another chance." Jenna said, her tone filled with gratitude.

"It was my first day. I wanted to make a good impression." He replied good-naturedly.

Alanna cleared her throat, muttering a quick excuse before dragging a confused Jeremy with her.

"Don't cockblock," She reprimanded and Jeremy's eyes widened in horror.

"He's my history teacher-" He spluttered.

"And soon-to-be uncle, perhaps," She interrupted in a sing-song voice. He threw his hands up in frustration, but with just one look at him, you could tell that he missed this playful banter between them.

** ~REMEMBER ME?~**

The two siblings walked to their porch, shoving each other with smiles on their faces, but they sobered up when they heard screams right after the door opened.

"What the hell?" Jeremy exclaimed to Elena and Caroline, clutching his chest in shock before he walked off annoyed.

"I'm outta here!" Caroline exclaimed and she ran off.

"Care?" Alanna called out in confusion. "What happened, Elena?"

Elena looked conflicted. She wanted to spill everything to her sister, but she did not want her involved as it was too dangerous. She was at war at herself when she felt an arm on her shoulder.

"Tell me," Alanna implored.

"Bonnie is being possessed by her ancestor," Elena said in one breath before she fished out her phone and dialed the number of her boyfriend, leaving Alanna to process this information. "We have to go." Elena said, minutes later, Stefan was there, and Elena rushed out with the dazed-but-concerned older Gilbert following her.

** ~REMEMBER ME?~**

Stefan was not pleased with Alanna following them, that much was obvious, but he couldn't exactly stop her since they were not formally introduced yet, so when Alanna ran out towards the direction of the commotion after the car pulled over, Stefan shot a frown at Elena before he followed her.

"It hurts. This is why I feed on people," They heard Damon say while Alanna stared at him in confusion. What on Earth did he mean by that? Was Damon some sort of cannibal? She looked at Elena for answers, but Elena was more worried about the scene in front of her than her sister's confusion.

Bonnie, in a very eerie voice, acknowledged Stefan, and despite Damon's threats, she said, "I won't let you unleash them into this world."

Now Alanna was thoroughly confused. What did she mean by evil? Who was she referring to? For a spirit to be so strongly against this, maybe it was some sort of a demon_. Maybe zombies,_ her mind supplied.

"To save her, I had to save them." Bonnie, or rather not Bonnie, supplied to clear Stefan's confusion. "With one, comes all."

Damon's voice was cold, "I don't care about them. I just want Katherine."

"I knew I shouldn't have believed a single word that comes out of your mouth. This isn't about love, is it? This is about revenge."

Damon, however, was not in the least affected by his brother's tone, "The two aren't mutually exclusive."

Stefan persuaded his brother to abandon this course of action, but to no avail. "27 vampires Damon! They were vampires. You can't just bring them back!" Stefan yelled, yet Damon stubbornly refused to be dissuaded. "You're blaming innocent people for something that happened 145 years ago."

Alanna's eyes widened at this. Vampires, that's what these people were. Did that mean that Stefan and Damon were vampires too? She felt like one of her worse nightmare just came true. Her mind was going overboard and her blood was freezing with all the scenarios of the people she knew, of the people she cared for, dropping dead, but instead of being the logical person she normally was and finding a way to get Bonnie and her sister to safety, all that went through her mind was, 'Huh. Who knew that twilight was true.'

"There is nothing innocent about these people, and don't think for a second it won't happen again. They already know too much, and they'll burn your little grandwitch right next to us when they find out." Damon said. He probably didn't notice anyone but the witch and his brother. "Trust me."

Not Bonnie shook her head." Things are different now." She answered, her eyes flickering to Alanna for a split second before focusing back to the task at hand.

"Don't do this," Damon pleaded with desperation, but despite Damon and even Elena's pleas, the pentagram not Bonnie carved into the dirt around her was set ablaze, and the flames separated them from her. Then, not Bonnie threw the necklace into the air, and it exploded. Her body crumpled just as the flames were extinguished, and before Alanna could rush to her, Damon charged towards her in his mad haze, plunging his fangs into her neck.

All of a sudden, Damon soared through the air and hit the tree behind him with a loud thump. Stefan, who was beside Elena at that time, immediately passed that occurrence off as Bonnie's magic lashing out to protect herself as he kneeled beside her to check her pulse.

However, Alanna's attention was no longer focused on them. She knew it was wrong, and that she should be terrified due to what just happened, but all she felt was worry, for the vampire. It was stupid, like she had no survival instincts at all, but his desperation was tugging on her heartstrings, and she soon found herself wandering into the forest.

"Alanna," Elena called out, looking at Stefan fearfully. Damon was unstable, and she did not want her sister hurt. But Stefan merely shook his head.

"Alanna is safe." He assured her, and it only resulted in Elena being more confused.

**~REMEMBER ME?~**

"Creepy blue eyes?" Alanna called out when she noticed a form seated no- so-far from where they previously were. With a gush of wind, he was in front of her.

"Leave," he said, the veins under his eyes darkening threateningly. She would lie if she said she was unafraid, and yet, she found herself still standing strong in front of him and not cowering in a corner.

Now Alanna was never good with comfort, or anything remotely related to it. It was just one of the bad aspects of not socializing much. Even with Elena's friends, she would push the emotions and whining to Elena, despite being the older one. "Do you want a hug?" She could've slapped herself once the question was out. She shouldn't offer random strangers a _hug_!

She could make out Damon's eyes returning to normal and raised a brow at that unexpected success. _That worked. _But instead of responding, he went back to his former seat. Well that escalated quickly, she thought as she sat down beside him.

It was silent for a while, something that Alanna was perfectly contented with, but of course, Damon was never fond of peace, so he turned to her. "Are you really a Gilbert?"

"Oh no, I am actually an immortal Salvatore, like you," she answered, sarcasm evident in her voice. But with one look at his face, she knew that the humour, if she could even call it that, was not appreciated. Not knowing what to do she cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Yes, I am. Why would you ask such a question?" But he never answered. Not like she actually expected him to.

"Well, how does human blood taste like?" Maybe she was a bit too direct with that one? Was it really wise to ask a pissed off vampire on how blood taste like when she's the one with the nearest vein to tap? Yeah she didn't think so. But she was curious. After all, she couldn't imagine drinking blood if her life depended on it. She shuddered at that mental image.

To her surprise, he simply chuckled. "You should go home," he told her abruptly.

"Yeah you're probably right," she told him. "I tried," she shrugged. "But you're very stubborn, Demon." She saw him freeze; it was as if that word had brought back some sort of memory of his. So creepy blue eyes has creepy flashbacks too? Figures.

Her eyes snapped up to see Stefan, who had just joined them, when she heard him clearing his throat. "Elena took Bonnie home," he told her and she nodded.

"Well I should get going too." She stood up. "The moon's bright, the weather's nice, and I have bus number 11." She said, pointing at her legs. Without waiting for their reply, she waved at them and walked off. She wasn't aware that Stefan had made sure she returned home safely before he returned to Damon.

** ~REMEMBER ME?~**

Alanna turned the knob of Jeremy's door and tip-toed into the room. She was just out of the shower and she needed a place to gather her thoughts. Jeremy's room was definitely more ideal than Elena's, for she had no intention of going into her dead parents' room. She smiled softly when she noticed her brother curled only at the left side of the queen size bed. Old habits die hard, she mused, as she crept to the right side and slipped under the duvet. Speaking of old habits. She required something to hug before she could fall asleep, and she was too lazy to grab her pillow from Elena's room, so she simply gazed at the ceiling and twiddled her thumbs. Maybe she could fall asleep while counting sheeps…

Her face was smacked by a large, fluffy pillow. She groaned at the unsuspecting 'attack', but grabbed the bolster thankfully. "Thanks Jer."

Now, with a pillow to hug, she could comfortably drift off to sleep. But as the brief flashback of the day's events went through her head, she found her eyes unable to fall shut. This was, surprisingly, neither due to fear, nor due to the knowledge of the existence of vampires.

No. it was because deep down, she knew that it wasn't Bonnie who pushed Damon off to defend herself.


End file.
